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A Family Affair – An Orthodox Jewish Wedding

Naomi is a bride with a confession. It’s a fear that many brides share but few will admit to. What kind of person was “the big day” turning her into? Photography by Zenobia Studios.

“I was absolutely terrified to turn into a “Bridezilla”, even though I’m sure my sisters can attest that I had my unfortunate moments. I didn’t want to be consumed by the idea that it was “my day”, since I was sharing it with everyone that I loved, and wanted them to be as comfortable as possible.

I wanted everyone to wear what felt like them, and I definitely didn’t want a silly color scheme to hold anyone back from wild dancing (after all, who cares if you’re color coordinated on the dance floor, right?)!”

When it was all said and done, her traditional Orthodox Hasidic wedding was as filled with the love and spiritual meaning that Naomi had hoped for. She describes the day as magical, speechless, and present (“ïn the moment”).

Her mother’s giving spirit and the help of her sisters played a big role in it. They went above and beyond to create a special and memorable day.

From the bride:“My favorite wedding detail would have to be our centerpieces, not only because they were beautiful, but because they represented something more to me. My mom – who is completely and utterly selfless – came up with the idea for the centerpieces and made them all with my sisters. They were these beautiful purple orchids in tall, glass vases that were lit up all the way from the stem to the petals (they were fake, but you would never know!). They literally worked on all the little details – putting the moss in the vase, setting up an assembly line, making sure it laid just right, etc. It gave the night a beautiful glow, and reminded me of all the lengths my family would go through to make my day special.”

Hasidic Jewish Wedding Ceremony

When asked about her favorite memory, the bride had this to say:

“My favorite memory would have to be that moment that I saw my husband coming towards me. There really aren’t any words at all to describe it. We didn’t speak (yes, that includes the cheating technologies- like texting or e-mail!) or see each other for a week before the wedding, which felt like an eternity.

As soon as he started coming in my direction, we locked eyes and just shared this moment that was uniquely ours forever. It suddenly felt like no one else was in the room and that all the chaos that is involved in a wedding was suddenly all worth it for this magical moment.”

Naomi’s family shares a deep faith and observes Jewish customs. Her wedding included a family tradition where the bride wears an opaque veil. This tradition was hard to embrace at first, but ended up being a meaningful part of her wedding ceremony. She has this advice for future brides:

“Try to take a moment – because, really, that’s all you need – to take it all in. For me, it was the time I had under the chuppah. My family’s custom is to wear an opaque veil under the chuppah, which I was very annoyed at, to be honest, but ended up being so incredibly grateful for. No one could see me, and I was able to focus on my thoughts, my prayers, and ask G-d for blessings during this incredibly holy time. I cried alone, and I didn’t need to hold back my tears. And then it was after I heard the crashing of the glass that I knew I had closure of prayers answered, felt that surge of excitement, and couldn’t wait to hit the dance floor!”